we really have to look at america's role in the world. we have a right to defend ourselves, but no right to a grass. we continue to aggress and it is as a cause -- at a cost to our selves. we are thoroughly it mired in an economy that is based on guns. this budget in this fiscal cliff in no way gets into that debate. >> we want to ask about another bill, the fisa bill. we're going to go to break and come back to congress member dennis kucinich who served eight terms in congress. this is his last week as a member of congress. this is "democracy now!" back in a moment. ♪ [music break] >> she died wednesday at the age of 72 after complications from heart attack. this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman with juan gonzalez. >> while the so-called fiscal cliff has dominated the news headlines, the senate is preparing to vote today to continue a controversial domestic surveillance program. in a blow to civil liberties advocate, the senate rejected three attempts thursday to add oversight and privacy